New child care subcommittee is born

Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) said she was “super excited” at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

She chairs the new House Subcommittee on Childcare Access and Affordability, which held its first hearing.

Jessica Anderson, legislative affairs and communications director at the Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, called it “heartening” to see child care “get the attention it deserves as demonstrated by the formation of this subcommittee.”

James Koppel, assistant commissioner for Children and Family Services at the Department of Human Services, gave an overview of his agency’s work, focusing on four areas related to the 2014 reauthorization of the federal Child Care Development Block Grant:

• family and provider-friendly eligibility policies;
• updated reimbursement rates;
• transparent consumer and provider education information; and
• health and safety requirements for child care providers.

Koppel conceded that Minnesota’s child care program is “very complicated.” Elizabeth Bangert, owner of Here We Grow child care center in Mankato, agreed, citing eight different billing forms her business must use each month. “Good thing I like math,” she said.

WATCH Full video of Wednesday's subcommittee hearing